Last city that we thought visiting India, and common gateway for combining your stay in this country a few days in Nepal, and it is very frequent air link between Kathmandu and Calcutta, situated as it is east of India.
Speaking of Calcutta is to talk about the City of Joy, is remembering the many passages that described in our imagination with a pen (or pencil) exquisite Dominique Lapierre . Is to try out the essence of Indian spirit, the capacity for survival and adaptation, to submit to the conditions of the country, or perhaps accept its own virtues. That book, like so many others, I checked. It is a celebration of solidarity, the truest love, to delivery and human sensitivity.
With Max Loeb, the young American physician discovered the misfortunes of the world, differences, lack of solidarity and the existence of an unknown world for me. I do not know if that book left me something in the subconscious, but visiting Calcutta and go to the area of the City of Joy is something that fills those who have read this masterpiece of Lapierre.
I had the great good fortune (or misfortune, as is understood) to be in Calcutta the days following the death of Mother Teresa. As I also had the fortune (or misfortune again) that I might kneel before the chapel and feel in my own flesh, and much deeper, which is the passion for a person, which is the thanks and love infinity. Nothing more to set foot in Calcutta, was absolute silence, respect, sadness, but also the joy of having had such a person among them and be able to enjoy his goodness. They were sad but privlegiados. Or so I thought I felt.
There, in front of his chapel, a quick glance made me realize that not only came to the place to revere the Catholics, but Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists ... all without exception, were infinite queue that was lost in the streets and more streets of Calcutta hoping we can give her last goodbye.
Maybe Mother Teresa was for them and Bandon, the nurse of the book, "the angel of the City of Joy", above all, the Mother of all.
In that particular situation I have no doubt that my vision of Calcutta this skewed by that event. Calcutta perhaps sees more beautiful than it really is. But is that so many years later, the memory I have of this city is that the ride and for those unfortunate neighborhoods.
But Calcutta, Calcutta modern, has much more to tell and to feel....